Survival
by Yatzstar
Summary: Clara suddenly find herself no longer in the TARDIS, but on a barren planet populated by the strange cheetah-people. Oh, and that strange fellow dressed in black who despises the Doctor. Just a little something I thought up. Be prepared for many clichés and obscure references! Rated T for mild suggestiveness. Some slight Clara/Ainley!Master, though only if you squint.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Published by request from always687 on DeviantART!**

**Also, ignore that first paragraph. This story started at the end of another fic, which I will not be posting, but that setting makes the format a little weird. The name Ainsley is not a reference to the Master, just in case you ask. The names Perkins and Ainsley are the names of the girls and boys dormitory respectively at a school near my house. Soo...that's where that came from. Anyway, constructive crit is welcome, and enjoy! :D**

Perkins deposited Clara and the Doctor at the TARDIS by night. The flight had been amazing—much better than Clara's fly-or-die experience. Ainsley was still missing—off fishing, Perkins had guessed. The gryphoness dipped her head respectfully to the two, before spreading her huge wings and lifting off, soaring back to Notre Dame.

Clara and the Doctor waved goodbye, before entering the TARDIS. Clara sighed.

"That was amazing, Doctor."

The Time Lord smiled, beginning his madcap dance around the console.

"So it was! Would you like to relax after that? There's this planet that orbits a binary star, with this ice cream that's the best in the galaxy! They even have lily pads so big you can sit on them, but only if you ask nicely. So, what do you—"

The Time Lord's nattering was cut off by a whooshing sound. A swirling vortex of light opened up right next to Clara. She yelped, jumping away from it and hiding behind the Doctor.

"What's that?" She asked fearfully. The Doctor took out his sonic screwdriver and shone it at the portal.

"Temporal flux," He said. "They appear at random—sort of like when time is coming down off a sugar high. It's the universe's way of expending energy, though they can be manipulated if you know what you're doing. I don't know how this one appeared in the TARDIS, though."

"Where will it lead?" Clara asked, approaching the light. The Doctor shrugged.

"Anywhere in time and space. You have to be careful, though, because it might not be a planet you land on. You could pop out the other side and find yourself on the event horizon of a black hole, or at the core of a supernova. That's why only the brave, the foolish, and the foolishly brave attempt to go through them."

Clara was about to reply, when she got a little too close to the swirling light. In a flash, she was gone.

"CLARA!" The Doctor roared, lunging forwards as the light dissipated. He fell to the floor, eyes wide with horror. The TARDIS, being her ever-thoughtful, five-steps-ahead-of-everyone self, instantly started looking for Cara's voidstuff signature. The Doctor bit his lip until it bled to stop himself sobbing aloud.

-ooo-

When Clara came to, the first thing she saw was blinding sunlight. She screwed her eyes shut, hearing footsteps nearby. Some sort of quadruped, like a horse or a cow. She lay still, hoping it would pass her by. When she heard silence again, she opened her eyes and sat up. She was surrounded by a wasteland of sandstone and shale. There was some scraggly forest in the distance, so she struck out for it. Knowing that the Doctor probably didn't know where she was at the moment, and having no way to reach him, Clara knew that she should seek shelter from the sun and heat.

Upon reaching the forest, which was mostly short trees and scruffy bushes, Clara looked about as she heard scuffling. A humanoid creature was huddled at the base of a small ledge. Upon seeing her approach, it began barking at her, and shaking its head vigorously.

"Hey there," Clara said. "What's wrong? Oh, you poor thing, you're all tied up. Here, let me help you."

The creature looked like a bizarre mix of some sort of leopard-like cat, and a human. It had a cat's head and tail, and its hands were a mix of cat and human, with sharp claws extending from the fingertips. Its scuffed tunic was torn in several places. It protested as Clara untied the leather thongs from its wrists. It devoured the straps as they fell to the ground. Its dark eyes glinted with gratitude, though Clara could tell it was primitive. Then its gaze changed to fear. Clara whirled to see a fully-grown horse rearing above her, lips curled back and eyes wild. She screamed, as the leopard-person leaped over her head, sinking its claws and fangs into the horse's chest. The horse bucked, throwing its rider, before taking off into the woods, the creature still clinging to it. Clara had covered her head with her hands, shielding herself fearfully, as the horse's hooves flailed inches from her. She remained that way as the horse's rider picked itself up. Clara assumed it was another one of the leopard-people, and remained still as she heard its footsteps approaching, crunching in the carpet of dead leaves. The human knew the habits of cats, so she wasn't surprised when she felt the puff of breath ghosting over her head.

Clara remained with her hands covering her head, as the creature investigated her, finally chancing a glance as it stepped back. She felt a twinge of unease as she saw black shoes that didn't belong in such a remote place. She raised her eyes, seeing black pants and a dark suit. The human hands were covered by black gloves, but it was the face that scared her the most. The pointed teeth were bared in a grin, and the amber eyes glinted with mischief, the slit pupils dilating and contracting.

"Wh—wh—" Clara asked, unable to find her voice through fear. The man chuckled, a sound that sent chills down the human's spine.

"Finish your sentences, dear," He chided. "What were you going to say?"

Instead of finishing, Clara leaped to her feet and tried to run, but the man seized her wrist, twisting her arm painfully behind her back. Clara groaned as her shoulder was wrenched painfully, but she gritted her teeth and kicked upwards, driving the heel of her shoe into the place between the man's legs. He hissed in pain, his grip instinctively loosening. Clara tore away from him and sprinted into the forest.

"A hunt, excellent!" The man cried. Clara chanced a backwards look to see he hadn't made a move to follow her. He simply waved and called after her, "Let me know when you're ready for me to find you, dear!"

This guy was a nutter, Clara decided, as she ran deeper into the forest as fast as her legs could carry her.

-ooo-

Clara hunched in a small, damp cave, breathing heavily. A stream trickled from a spring in the back wall and flowed out of the cave. Clara had waded up the stream for about half a mile, before finding the cave. She remembered a short story she had read in secondary school—_The Most Dangerous Game. _She felt like she was in that story now. She splashed some of the icy stream water on her face, before peering out of the cave. The ground sloped downwards for several hundred meters, before turning back to forest. The cave she was in sat in a rock ledge that extended upwards about two hundred feet, before leveling off. Clara had no idea what lay at the top. She crept cautiously out of the cave, and started scrambling up the slope, glancing behind her often to check for her black-clad enemy. She only saw some of the leopard-people in the distance, so she kept climbing, after making sure they weren't coming in her direction.

Upon reaching the top, she sat down, exhausted, and dangled her sore feet over the edge she had just gained. Sweat was pouring off her, and the blazing sun didn't help matters. The human wiped the sweat from her brow, and figured her next move. She could head across the top of the ridge, towards more forest, or go straight over the plateau towards more wasteland.

Before she could decide, however, a voice sounded in her ear.

"Decided, yet?"

If Clara hadn't been so exhausted, she would have leaped another two hundred feet. She looked around wildly for the source of the voice, but saw no one. She scrambled to her feet and turned in a complete circle. The ridge was empty. Her eyes narrowed, and she stood still, listening hard. She could hear the faint crunch of gravel behind her. Her pursuer must be incredibly swift of foot to stay out of her vision for so long. If he hadn't been trying to murder her, Clara might have been mildly impressed.

As it was, Clara was scared. She knew she couldn't keep running forever, and when she was caught—well, she supposed those leopard-people had to eat something.

However, she had one thing in her favor—human stubbornness. She took off at a sprint, digging in her feet and spraying as much dust and loose rock as she could manage in her wake. She heard a snarl, and the footsteps chasing her halted abruptly. She glanced back to see the man crouching, pawing at his eyes. Clara felt a twinge of satisfaction, but it quickly died as the man fixed his icy amber eyes on her, and started after her, gaining fast.

Clara's breath sobbed in her throat. She wanted the Doctor by her side, the two of them being chased as they had many times, to stumble into the TARDIS and slam the door a second before their pursuers caught up. They would catch their breath, then go into a laughing fit about whatever comment the Doctor had made to insult the locals. Now Clara had none of that. She only had the bare wasteland and scruffy forest ahead of her, and the wind at her side.

Clara scrambled back down the ridge, tripping and tumbling the last twenty or so feet. She lay at the bottom for a moment, stunned, before staggering to her feet. She barely made it five steps, however, before something cannoned into her, sending her rolling in the grass. Clara's head hit a rock, and she slumped, her vision fuzzy. She tried to struggle upright, but her arms wouldn't respond correctly and she fell back, letting darkness wash over her.

-ooo-

A heavy, rhythmic noise sounded in Clara's ears, making her head throb remorselessly. She opened her eyes, confused for a moment at seeing the ground passing by below her, before she registered the bristly mane, and short fur damp with sweat. She was slumped over the neck of a moving horse. She sat up, and her back hit something. She froze. If the horse was moving, who was steering it?

Clara didn't want to think about that, but a voice sounded in her ear.

"Awake now? Good. We're almost there."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: For the Master's little scene coming up, I was inspired by Asmodeus in Brian Jacques's Redwall. Anyway, enjoy! :D**

Clara sat stiffly on the bouncing horse, trying hard not to think about the monster at her back. The foliage rushed past in a blur, the pounding of the human's heart mixing with the beat of the horse's hooves on the dirt. Then, Clara noticed something strange. The chest at her back was thumping in two different places. Was this man a Time Lord?

Clara didn't have much time to contemplate that, before the trees opened up into a small village. The houses weren't much better than tents, being dusty and worn like everything else on this planet. The horse slowed, and the man slid off. Clara tried to do likewise, but her stiff muscles protested and she ended up falling on her bum. The man chuckled slightly, and offered her a hand.

"I feel this is your first time riding a horse, yes?" He inquired. Clara scrambled upright, ignoring his hand.

"Who are you, anyway?" She demanded. "If I'm going to get eaten, I'd at least like to know who's going to have the honor of doing me in."

The man's fangs bared in a grin, sending a chill down Clara's spine.

"My name," He said, "Is the Master."

_What kind of pompous idiot makes everyone call him 'Master?' _Clara thought. The Master extended a hand to shake.

"And you are?" He inquired with a warm smile.

"Clara," Said Clara, cautiously shaking his hand.

"Clara who?"

"Master who?"

"Ooh, dangerous question."

"What's wrong with dangerous?"

The Master chuckled, turning to unsaddle the horse. Clara heard a rustling, and looked to see several of the leopard-people approaching cautiously. She backed up, bumping into the Master, but the creatures didn't appear hostile. One of them went up to the Master, and rubbed against him the way a cat might. With the creature's humanoid anatomy, it looked totally bizarre, but the Master didn't seem to mind.

"The cheetah-people are quite docile once under control," The Master said, scratching the beast behind the ear. It rubbed against his hand, purring loudly. Clara watched them cautiously, uncertain of what to do. The Master turned to her, his amber eyes glinting.

"Oh, my apologies, you must be tired. Right this way, my kitten."

"Your _what?" _Clara demanded. Her hand flashed out to slap him, but he caught it effortlessly.

"Just making sure you were paying attention," He smiled. Clara wrenched her wrist away from him, and followed him into one of the shacks. It was cooler inside, and a relief from the heat. The Master handed her a beaker of water, and sat cross-legged on one of the furs that covered the floor. Lamps of fireflies lit the windowless room, the only other light coming from the crack in the door flap. The Master's eyes glowed slightly in the darkness.

"Sit," He ordered. Clara didn't budge. A hint of annoyance sparked in his eyes, but he didn't say anything. Clara tried to stay as far away from him as possible as she sipped the water.

"Now, might I ask, how did you come to be here?" The Master asked. Clara didn't know why she had to tell him a bloody thing, but her silence was her error. The Master got to his feet, and approached her. Clara backed up swiftly, her back hitting the wall. She tried to maneuver around the Master, but he put his hands on the wall either side of her, caging her. His eyes glowed, the pupils narrowing to slits. Clara knew she shouldn't stare, but the amber light washed over her, and she found herself unable to tear her gaze away.

"Look into my eyes, child," The Master growled. His voice was soft and hypnotic, like a snake's. "Gaze into my eyes…"

His face was an inch from Clara's, the golden glow obscuring everything else in her vision. Clara fought, trying to tear herself away. The Master hissed, narrowing his eyes.

"I am the Master," He said, "And you will obey me…"

Clara could feel him probing her mind, extracting the memories of her experience. A grin spread across his face as he found what he had suspected.

"So," He murmured, "You're the Doctor's newest little plaything…how interesting."

Having got all he required, the Master stepped back, the glow fading from his gaze. Clara's eyes rolled back in her head, and she collapsed, exhausted from trying to fight him off. The Master huffed. Humans. So weak-minded. He dragged her over to one of the blankets and laid her down, before retreating outdoors.

-ooo-

When Clara woke, the first thing she registered was the soft fur tickling her face. She opened her eyes groggily, and found herself wrapped in a fuzzy pelt from some sort of animal. The tent was dark, save for the dim glow of the firefly lamp. Clara sat up, noting a dark lump stretched nearby. Probably the Master. She got to her feet, and stole quietly out of the shack. The sky was just turning gray with predawn light. Clara found one of the horses, and hastily untied it. She hoisted herself onto its back, and kicked it into a canter, thundering away into the early morning.

As horse and rider vanished into the forest, a black-gloved hand pulled back the door flap. The Master leaned against the doorframe, watching the rapidly diminishing figure. His fangs gleamed as he grinned, relishing the anticipation and excitement of the hunt.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Some slight Osdrum in this chapter (if you can call it that with this Master) but I never really got around to going anywhere with it, so don't get excited :(**

Clara trotted through the wasteland, pausing at small streams to water the froth-coated horse. She looked behind her constantly, but the only thing she saw were several of the cheetah-people stalking some sort of gazelle-like creature in the distance. Slowly, ever so slowly, the sun crept higher into the sky, then took its agonizing time to dip towards the horizon. Clara had no idea if the polar directions worked the same as on Earth here. For all she knew, the sun could set in the north, or east, or south, instead of the west. The horse slowed as they approached a small oasis, tucked away in a ravine. Clara slid off the animal clumsily, and tied the reins to one of the trees, with enough slack to allow it to drink from the pool. A small waterfall rushed and tumbled into the pond. The setting sun cast shadows over everything, and Clara was constantly looking about for any signs of the Master. No doubt he would be coming after her, the creep. Clara sighed, taking off her scuffed shoes and dipping her sore feet into the cool water. The horse shook its head, spraying silver droplets from its muzzle, then retreated to a grassy patch to graze.

Clara lay back, looking into the darkening sky. The sunset was fading, the yellow turning to deep blue. Some of the stars were coming out, much larger and brighter than any she could see from Earth. The human scanned the sky, hoping against hope she might see a blue police box zooming across the blackness, but save for a flash of disintegrating meteors, there was nothing. Clara swiftly wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. She was stronger than that. She was the Impossible Girl, and she would get out of this, Doctor or no Doctor.

-ooo-

Out on the wastelands, a black-clad figure loped along at an easy pace, following the hoof prints over the rocks. He paused, mouth agape slightly, to taste the scent that drifted on the rapidly cooling night breeze. A grin spread across his face, as he turned in the direction of the ravine that jutted out in the distance.

The Master crouched in the rocks above the pool, the waterfall chattering past. He dipped his face into the rushing water, sighing as it washed away the sweat and dust of the day's tracking. He downed several swallows, before wiping the back of a black shirt sleeve across his jaw and turning to study the dark figures in the copse below. The horse was still grazing, but the human was unmoving. The Master opened his mouth slightly, inhaling the scent to confirm his quarry, before bounding lightly down the rocks to roll into the grass with hardly a rustle. The human must not have been fully asleep, because she sat up, looking about. The Master remained frozen behind his bush, narrowing his eyes to the tiniest slits to mask their glow. Clara looked all around, then noticed the horse still moving about, and dismissed it. She moved to a grassy patch abandoned by the horse, and curled up. Her breathing quickly deepened due to exhaustion and the monotonous splash of the waterfall. The Master breathed a silent sigh of relief. This girl had some of the cat in her. No, not cat. She had some of the enemy of the cat. In the language of the cheetah-people, they would call her…

The Master shook his head, clearing his distracted thoughts, and crept out noiselessly. The horse raised its head to study him a moment, but dismissed him, food being of utmost importance. The Master leaned down to inhale her scent, checking for injuries. Nothing. Deciding she wasn't going anywhere, the man retreated to the noisiest end of the pond, near the waterfall, and crouched on the bank, staring into the water. He sat that way for several minutes, before his hand flashed out, claws unsheathed, and hooked a silvery, flopping fish from the pond. He dispatched it with a quick swipe, and devoured it hungrily, burying the remains. It wouldn't do to have the human thinking he was some sort of savage.

He paused. Why should he care what that puny little human thought? He dismissed it on the grounds of living with the cheetah-people for too long. He stretched out on the cool dirt, a slight groan escaping him as his tense muscles relaxed, and slept the way he always had. With one eye open.

-ooo-

Clara woke slowly from what was probably the worst night's sleep she had ever endured. Throughout the night, she had been plagued by nightmares of her past lives. The sun was just casting its golden rays over the edge of the ravine. The horse stood nearby, head dipped in sleep. Clara had never understood why horses slept standing up. She stretched, and sat up. She instantly had the uneasy feeling she was being watched. She looked all around, and threw herself backwards in case the Master was lurking just out of her vision, but she only received a sore bum. She ached all over from riding all day, and she was bloody freezing. Also, she was hungry. She hadn't eaten since before she had arrived there, and her legs would barely support her. She went to the pool and splashed some of the icy water on her face, and drank as much as she could hold to relieve the hunger pangs. As she looked into her warped, shimmering reflection, she noticed another dark shape joining her, amber eyes reflecting in the water. She whirled, almost toppling backwards into the water, but the Master seized the lapels of her jacket, hauling her onto the bank. His cat's eyes laughed.

"Good morning!" He said. Clara glared at him. There was no way she could untie the horse and get onto it before he caught her. She tried to yank away from him anyway, but his grip tightened on her lapel. Her shoulders sagged in defeat. The Master smiled.

"Good girl. Now, let's get you back to the tribe. We've got food there."

"Why not just kill me?" Clara growled as he hoisted her onto the horse. "It's like you enjoy letting me run away, only to catch me and drag me back."

"I'll admit, I do take some pleasure in the hunt," The Master said, "But you are a companion of the Doctor's, and I have sworn to destroy him."

"Why?" Clara asked, as the Master climbed onto the horse behind her, and kicked the animal into a canter.

"Because he constantly goes out of his way to make sure and plans I have are thwarted. Him, and whatever human brat he happens to have traveling with him."

Clara resented the Master's comment about humans.

"So, are you a Time Lord, then?" She asked. The Master nodded. "Yes, I am."

"So why are you on this desolate rock?" Clara inquired. The Time Lord growled slightly.

"That is none of your concern, my dear. Just be glad you happen to know the Doctor, otherwise you would have been cat food long ago."

Clara sighed, gripping the horse's mane as the ground raced by. Eventually, the hot sun, hunger, and exhaustion overcame her, and she slipped into a stupor. The Master noted her going limp, and, keeping one hand gripping the reins, held her steady with his free hand. She could be very valuable, though he could tell she was from a different time period than the current incarnation of the Doctor. The Doctor she was with had experienced tragedy beyond measure, and he had lost things no one save him would understand.

Though…A tiny thought appeared in the back of his mind. If he could get her infected with the cheetah virus, that would make the Doctor even more concerned for her safety. He probed her mind carefully, searching for signs that she was already infected. None. Of course not, she was not attached to any of the cheetah-people. No other way, so the Time Lord brushed her hair out of the way, and punctured the delicate skin on the human's neck with his teeth. She whimpered slightly, and stirred, but he quickly pressed his glove against the wound, licking the blood from his canines. Was that a pang of regret he felt? To have harmed such an innocent creature? Nonsense, he was the Master. Anyone who got in his way deserved death.

Upon reaching the village just as the sun was setting, the Master carried Clara into the tent, and laid her down. He stoked up a small fire and began making a thin stew out of the meat the resident cheetah-people had brought back from the day's hunt, and several native plants. One of the cheetah-people entered with a report on the day's comings and goings. The Master nodded. No sign of the Doctor yet, though the strange behavior of his minion cats on Earth would soon draw him, and the disappearance of his companion. The Time Lord looked over at the unconscious Clara. Her clothing hung loosely on her frame, and her eyes were sunk deep in her head. The Master remembered something he had learned at the Academy—humans couldn't survive much longer than three days without food, and Clara hadn't eaten since arriving on this world, two days ago.

The Master poured some of the soupy mix into a bowl, and tried it. It smelled like overcooked eggs, and tasted even worse, but it was food. He spooned it into Clara's mouth, massaging her throat to help her swallow, until she started to respond. The Time Lord quickly retreated outside, instructing one of the female cheetah-people to go in and finish feeding Clara. He needed to clear his thoughts.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: So prepare for some massive ****_Lion King _****references in this one. I just couldn't resist. Also, for you Narnia fans, I names Chervy after the Talking Stag from ****_The Horse and His Boy. _****Anyway, enjoy! :D**

Clara woke feeling reinvigorated. One of the cheetah-people sat next to her, with an empty bowl. The human sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"How do you feel?" The cheetah-person asked. Its voice was female, and slightly huffing.

"I feel great," Clara said. "Can I go outside?"

"Of course, sister," The cheetah-person said, scooting back to allow her to stand up.

"What's your name, by the way?" Clara asked. "I want to know who to thank for taking care of me."

"I am Chervy," Said the cheetah-person. "But it was Master who did most of the work. He left when you started to wake up."

"Did he now?" Clara grinned. The Master seemed a lot like the Doctor—not sure what to do with a girl. The human stepped outside, into the blinding sunlight. Several of the cheetah-people had mounted horses, and were preparing to ride off. Clara wanted to go with them, though her muscles were still stiff from riding for two days straight. Her feet ached to feel the grass beneath them.

The human inhaled the dry air, and turned to see the Master emerging from a nearby house. He saw her instantly, and approached.

"Feeling better?" He asked with a smile. Clara nodded.

"Yes, thank you." She replied, still a little uneasy of his unnatural eyes and sharp teeth. "What am I supposed to do now, since you can't trust me to go anywhere?"

"You come with me, of course!" The Master beamed. That was the last thing Clara had hoped he would say, but she followed him out of the camp. At first she thought the Master was just wandering aimlessly, but then she noticed a faint trail winding through the long grass and leaves. The two walked for a long time, until one of the cheetah-people galloped up, reining their horse in as they saw the Master.

"Good morning, Master," It said. Its voice was male.

"Good morning, Felix," The Master replied. "You've got the morning report?"

Felix nodded, sliding off the horse, and giving the Master a long list of different tribes of cheetah-people, and their dealings over the past few days. Clara soon got bored, and started studying her surroundings. There was a small pond nearby, so dragonflies swarmed around them. Clara swatted at them, then crouched in the grass as a particularly large one landed on a blade of grass and perched there, swaying in the breeze. Clara approached it slowly, and pounced, but the insect zipped away, leaving her to tumble into the grass. The dragonfly landed several meters away on another blade of grass, like it was taunting her. Fuming, Clara lunged again, but the insect proved too fast for her. She sat up, dusting grass from her shirt. The Master glanced over at her.

"What are you doing, dear?" He inquired, sounding slightly amused. Clara rubbed her head.

"I'm trying to pounce on that dragonfly. That big blue one over there."

The Master chuckled, losing interest in Felix, who was still rattling off his list of tribes, oblivious to the distractions. The Time Lord crouched in the grass next to her.

"Let an old pro show you how it's done," He murmured, smiling wickedly at Felix. "Stay low to the ground."

He put a hand on Clara's back, lowering her into a crouch. Clara kept her eyes on the chattering Felix.

"Right, stay low to the ground," Clara replied.

"Ssshh," The Master breathed in the human's ear. "Not a sound."

Clara started inching forwards, laying her hands and feet down soft as feathers.

"One…more…step," The Master hissed, "And then…"

Clara cannoned into Felix, sending them both crashing into the pond. Felix scrambled out, hissing and spitting, as the Master roared with laughter. Clara sat up in the water, laughing and dripping wet and clamored out as Felix hastily mounted his horse. The Time Lord was still laughing as he spoke to the cheetah.

"Everything seems to be normal, then, with the other tribes, yes? Go on then, go dry off."

Felix's eyes snapped with annoyance, but he kicked his horse into a gallop and thundered away.

"That was very good," The Master chuckled, as Clara wrung the water out of her skirt. "And don't mind Felix, he doesn't like water much."

"Teach me to do more things like that!" Clara said eagerly. "It feels so great when I do that, I want to learn more."

The Master grinned, showing his fangs. "Of course. Right this way."

-ooo-

The Master stood in a field of tall grass, listening. He smiled as he heard rustling behind him, and a muffled grunt.

"And, three…two…one…" He murmured. He ducked with lightning speed, as Clara sailed over his head to tumble into the grass with a yelp. The Time Lord walked over to stand over the human.

"You heard me coming, didn't you?" Clara asked sheepishly. The Master chuckled.

"I heard you coming from a hundred yards away," The Time Lord said. "You wouldn't survive a single day on your own."

"Oh, and I suppose you could?" Clara shot back. The Master smiled.

"Yes, I could, actually."

Clara smirked, crossing her arms. "Alright then. Impress me."

-ooo-

This time it was Clara who stood in the grass, looking around and straining to hear anything. She wondered how someone dressed in black could move so stealthily through the brownish grass. She heard the tiniest crackle behind her, and whirled, but saw nothing. Suddenly, a heavy weight slammed into her back, sending her crashing into the grass, the wind knocked from her. The Master rolled off her, his amber eyes glinting with amusement. Clara picked herself up, breathing heavily.

"How do you do that?" She asked.

"Lots of practice, my dear." The Master replied. "You're breathing too hard. You need to relax. Feel the vibrations of the earth under you. Your prey will feel you coming long before it sees you."

Clara crouched at the edge of the pond, kneading the earth under her fingers. Her eyes widened.

"Wow! I can feel so much!" She exclaimed. "I can feel a frog croaking over there, and a water bird pecking for grubs."

The Master's eyes glinted. "Good. You stay here, I'll go get us some food."

He vanished into the tall grass. Clara ran her tongue over her teeth, feeling her fangs. For half a second, she felt proud, until she caught a glimpse of her reflection, and gasped. Her eyes had changed from their brown into a fierce amber, like the Master's. She remembered where she was, and where she had come from. She had been traveling with…with…

For a heartbeat, she couldn't remember, then it hit her. The Doctor! How could she have forgotten the Doctor? Just the fact that she had forgotten scared her to death, and she splashed water on her face to clear her thoughts. Her heart was racing, her breath coming in short, rapid gasps.

"Something wrong?" A voice growled nearby, startling Clara. She turned to see the Master holding a handful of some sort of fruit.

"Yeah," Clara said quickly. "A frog jumped, and it startled me. I'm fine."

The Master didn't seem satisfied, but he dumped the fruit in front of her.

"We scared off all the prey training, and, well, I'm starving." The Time Lord said. "This is all I had the patience to gather."

Clara laughed, taking a bite of the fruit. It tasted like a mix of strawberries and cantaloupe. She couldn't remember why she had been so worried.

"Oh, Master, my fangs grew!" She said gleefully. She grinned to show her point. The Master chuckled, wiping fruit juice from his jaw.

"Very good, my dear. Now come, it's getting late. The hunting patrol will be returning soon, and you've had a busy day."

-ooo-

Upon returning to the camp, the unlikely pair was met with the hunting patrol. Five of the cheetah-people thundered up, sliding off their horses before they had even stopped moving. They untied the carcasses of their prey from the backs of the horses, which included gazelle-like creatures, and a few strings of fish. The Master nodded in approval.

"Very good. This will feed the entire tribe for another few days."

The scent of fish was clogging Clara's nose, so she retreated into the tent. Her stomach full of fruit, she refused the meat offered her, and lay back, curling up for a good night's rest. The Master entered, tugging off his gloves. He glanced at her with a smile.

"Good night, Master," Clara murmured sleepily. The Master's teeth gleamed as he grinned, watching her drift off.

"Sleep well, my kitten," He murmured to himself. "Tomorrow your training intensifies."


	5. Chapter 5

The days and weeks passed. Clara trained with the Master daily, her muscles hardening, and her senses becoming finely attuned to her surroundings. A fine layer of yellow hair started to grow on her arms and legs, along with other small changes to her form, including pale bristle forming on the sides of her mouth, and a lightening of her hair. She had long-since abandoned her London street clothes in favor of a tunic and slacks the same color as the grass and shale that covered the planet. She forgot about the Doctor, and her old life. She liked it here, the cheetah-people respected her and she respected them, though the Master would sometimes catch her staring at the horizon, as though looking for something but unable to remember what.

On that particular morning, the Time Lord and the human crouched on the edge of a pond, staring intently into the water.

"Don't let your shadow fall on the water," The Master murmured. "And breathe lightly. The slightest ripple will alert the fish."

Clara did as he instructed, sitting perfectly still, her gaze fixed on the water. A silvery fish darted out and she swiped at it, only to overbalance and topple into the water. The Master laughed as Clara scrambled out, soaking wet and shivering.

"Be patient, my dear!" The Time Lord chided. "Now the fish have all gone back to the bottom of the pond."

Clara shook herself, making sure he felt the spray, and huffed. The Master got to his feet.

"Come along, let's do some riding while we wait for the fish to come back out."

Ten minutes later, the two were galloping over the wasteland, dust and loose shale flying in their wake. Clara glanced sideways at the Master."

"I'll race you to the top of that hill!" She called. The Master's eyes flashed with excitement.

"Alright. On your mark, get set, go!"

He kicked his horse into a flat-out run, hunching low over the saddle. Clara raced after him, feeling the horse's muscles rippling beneath her. The animal's neck was dark with sweat, but Clara knew that meant it was in good condition. The pair streaked across the stones and shale, the horses bounding lightly up the slope. The Master reined in his horse at the top, grinning down at Clara.

"Still too slow for the Master!" He laughed. Clara threw her leg over the saddle so she was riding side-saddle, and as she passed the Time Lord, launched herself at him. She caught him by surprise, tackling him right out of the saddle and sending them both tumbling into the grass. By the time the Master regained his balance, Clara had vanished into the tall grass. The field was fairly large, dotted with several large boulders. The Time Lord instantly dropped into a crouch, tasting the air to scent the human. He prowled through the grass silently, brushing past the stems slowly to avoid rustling.

"Now, where are you…?" He breathed, a grin on his face. A rustle sounded nearby, and he turned towards it.

Clara hid behind one of the boulders, trying hard to stifle her giggles. She ran her tongue over her teeth as she peered out from behind the rock. The only thing she could see were the horses, which had lost interest in their riders and started grazing. The human scanned the grass, looking for a flash of black that would betray the Master's presence.

The Master crept around the opposite side of the boulder, sneaking up behind Clara. He leaned in close, and breathed on the back of her neck. She yelped, and the Master sat back with a laugh, as the human whirled to face him.

"Why can I never catch you?" She complained. The Master grinned wolfishly.

"Practice, my dear. Practice, and Time Lord instincts. Now come, let's see if the fish are back."

-ooo-

As the sun started to dip below the horizon, the two galloped back into camp with a string of freshly-caught fish between them. Both were soaking wet, but neither minded.

"You get some rest," The Master told Clara. "I'm going to go investigate something I saw earlier."

Clara was too tired to ask questions, so she just slid off her horse and vanished into the tent. The Time Lord galloped into the wilderness for several miles, finally stopping as he inhaled the night breeze. He dismounted, tying the horse to a tree in a clump of bushed and peering over the top of the rise. A human was wandering through the valley. It didn't look like anyone particularly special, but it was a human nonetheless. A cruel smile spread across the Master's face, his eyes gleaming with a feral light. His plan was working, the cheetah-people had managed to bring a human from Earth onto this world.

-ooo-

When Clara woke the next morning, the Master was already up and about. Clara emerged from the tent rubbing sleep from her eyes, to be greeted with the Time Lord's smiling face.

"Today, you'll be doing something different, my dear," He told her. "You'll be taking your first hunt."

"A hunt?" Clara asked. "All by myself?"

"That was the idea, yes," The Master replied. "You're free to go wherever you like, and stay out as long as you need to catch something."

"Are you sure I'm ready for it?"

"Would I be letting you do it if I didn't think you were?" The Master inquired. Despite his logic, Clara still felt nervous.

"Alright, then, I suppose I'll see you this evening."

The Master waved farewell as Clara mounted a horse and thundered away.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: So this is the last-ish chapter of this little story. I must tell you beforehand, I am VERY unsatisfied with this ending, for a number of reasons. So if any of you pro authors out there want to offer some advice, I'll gladly take it! :D**

**Also, I took some liberties with the canon here. This could be considered an AU, depending on how you look at it. Oh well, i'll just put up the flame shields and hope for the best!**

Clara crouched in the grass, her gaze fixed on a herd of gazelle-like creatures. She glided forwards, carefully avoiding brushing sticks or rocks that might betray her presence. She had her sights set on one of the creatures who hobbled along, holding up one of its forelegs. Perhaps it had twisted its ankle, or stepped on a rock funny. Whatever the case, it struggled to maintain its balance as it grazed. Clara inched forwards a little more, tensed her leg muscles, and lunged. The herd scattered as she raced past, and flung herself upon the limping gazelle. She swung herself onto its back, and sank her claws and teeth into its neck. It brayed, and collapsed under her weight, rolling over and squishing Clara beneath it. The human gripped on tighter, however, as the beast's thrashing grew weaker. Finally, it lay still. Clara pushed it off her, and sat up. She had made her first kill! Instead of feeling pleased with herself, she felt a twinge of…remorse? It didn't seem natural. A faint memory flashed through her mind, of a man who abhorred violence. It made her uncomfortable, so she dismissed it. She slung the carcass over her shoulder, and started the long trek back to her horse.

Upon reaching her mount, Clara tied her catch onto the beast's back, and climbed up. She was exhausted, having met several herds before without succeeding in catching anything. She kicked her horse into a canter, thundering towards home.

-ooo-

The Master sat outside his tent, scanning the ever-darkening sky. Finally, he saw a dark shape approaching. Clara's horse loped into the camp, exhausted. Clara was almost asleep in the saddle, and she half climbed, half fell off her mount. The Master was instantly at her side, steadying her as her knees threatened to buckle.

"I did it, Master!" Clara managed. She tried to untie her catch, but fumbled with the knots, and the Master stopped her.

"I'll take care of this. You go get some sleep."

Clara tried to take a step, but her stiffened legs wouldn't support her, and she would have it her head on the stones had the Time Lord not caught her. He carried her into the tent, and laid her down, covering her with one of the soft furs.

"You have done well, my dear," He murmured, brushing a stray wisp of hair from her face. "Be proud of yourself."

-ooo-

Clara woke late the next morning. She stepped outside to see the Master sitting by a fire, with a fish cooking over it.

"Sorry I slept so late," She mumbled, plopping down next to him. The Time Lord bared his fangs in a grin.

"Don't worry about it. Solo hunters always sleep late after they've been out. They need the rest."

Clara glanced at the fire. "I didn't know you cooked your food. Don't cats like it raw?"

The Master chuckled, reaching over to turn the fish. "I may act like a cat, but I am still a Time Lord. I will eat raw if I must, but yes, I do prefer my food to be cooked. I don't think the cheetah-people quite know what to make of it."

Clara laughed, as the Master took the fish off the flames, and started shredding the scales off with his claws. He handed half the meat to Clara, and the two started eating.

Once they were done, the Master stamped out the fire and told Clara that they would train lighter since she had just hunted the day before. The two rode into the wilderness for several miles, then dismounted and practiced stalking some. The Master got distracted by a bird, and vanished into the grass. Clara stifled her laughter, and sat down to await his return.

Suddenly, she smelled something foreign. She crept to the top of the nearby ridge, sniffing the air. She smelled wood, and metal, and…something else. She tensed her leg muscles, and lunged over the top of the ridge, only to skid to a halt. A familiar blue box sat several hundred yards away, and standing in front of it was a tall gangly Scotsman. Sensing her presence, he turned, his eyes widening as he saw her. Finally, Clara managed a single strangled word.

"Doctor!"

The Time Lord seemed frozen to the spot. Clara couldn't believe how much he had changed in the few months she had been here. His hair was grayer, and his eyes had a look of hopelessness to them.

"Clara…oh Rassilon, is that you? What's happened to you?"

Clara looked down at herself, unable to respond. She had changed so much since she had arrived, yet she had only barely noticed it, taking it in stride. Now she saw the thick yellow fur coating her arms, felt the whiskers twitching to the sides of her mouth.

"The cheetah virus happened, Doctor!" A new voice called. The Doctor went stiff, a new horror showing in his eyes. Clara felt a heavy hand resting on her shoulder.

"Clara, that's the Master!" The Doctor cried urgently. "He's dangerous! Get away from him!"

Clara looked at the Master, then back to the Doctor, unsure who to trust. The Master had been kind to her from the moment she had arrived. Even when he had dragged her back to camp on her numerous escape attempts, he had probably prevented her from dying of heat, or lack of food and water. The Doctor looked like a stranger to her now, yet he still had the kindly aura that drew her in.

"Clara, the Master is using you! He needed you to get to me, even though this is the wrong time stream! It's—it's—" The Doctor paused, trying to figure out how to explain. "Soon, one of my past selves will come here, and if you stay here, it'll create a paradox! You have to come with me!"

Despite her confusion, Clara felt a familiar feeling bubbling in her chest—rage. She turned to the Master, teeth bared.

"So all this time, you were just using me to get to the Doctor? All these days and months, I thought you actually cared for me, and you were planning to just toss me aside! The Doctor was right, you're just a selfish coward who uses whomever you need, then disposes of them once they're through being useful!"

The Master's amber eyes shone with fury. His voice was a low, feral growl as he spoke.

"No one _dares _call me coward!"

Clara lowered herself into a fighting stance. "_I dare."_

She launched herself at him, bowling the Time Lord over and shredding at his face with her claws. However, her element of surprise was short-lived, as the Master had both weight and experience on his side. He flipped them over so that Clara was pinned under him, and pressed his claws to her throat. Clara froze, breathing heavily, fury still blazing in her eyes.

"Be done with it, then," She growled. "At least I can die knowing that you'll have the fury of the Oncoming Storm coming down on you."

The Master barely had time to register what her words meant, before a strong hand seized the back of his jacket, hauling him upright and hurling him hard upon the stones. The Doctor placed himself in front of Clara, eyes blazing.

"Touch my Clara again, and I'll deal with you, paradox or no paradox!" He snarled. Clara had never seen this incarnation get angry before—it was something she never wanted to see again. The Master picked himself upright, running his hand along the fine scratch marks Clara had made, grinning.

"The cheetah-virus may be loosening its grip on you, my dear," He hissed, "But it has done its work. I knew from the moment I saw you that you had leaped into the Doctor's time stream. And since the Doctor and his TARDIS are linked, the Doctor's heart is the heart of the TARDIS. That makes you, my dear, a deity described by the cheetah-people as the _Bad Wolf. _However, the enemy of the wolf has been in you for too long now! The TARDIS will loosen its protection on you, your past lives will catch up on you, and you will die!"

The Master lunged forwards, raking his claws across the Doctor's face, before vanishing into the grass. Clara started after him, but the Doctor held her back.

"Clara, we need to get inside right now! If every single one of your past lives converge in the TARDIS, she won't be able to handle the paradox!"

He pushed her through the door and into the time machine, then took her face in his hands. Her cheetah features had begun to fade rapidly, her brown eyes leaking tears.

"Clara, I need you to trust me." He said. "I know you've been through a lot, but you need to follow my instruction without question."

"Why? What's going to happen?" She asked. The Doctor smiled slightly.

"Now, if I told you that, I wouldn't need you to trust me."

He pressed a kiss to her forehead, before retreating to the top of the stairs.

"Now Clara, under the console, there's a grate. I need you to go and lift it up."

Clara found the grate, and after fumbling with the latch, flung it open. A white-hot glow burst forth, so bright that Clara stepped back. The TARDIS looked into her mind, and she looked into the mind of the TARDIS. Her cheetah features faded completely, leaving the brown-haired, chocolate-eyed human standing before the immense light. The Doctor ran forwards, shielding his eyes, and slammed the grate shut. The light faded, and Clara's knees buckled. The Doctor caught her, holding her close.

"How do you feel?" He asked. Clara wrapped her arms around him. Her eyes swirled with golden light, before it dissipated for good.

"Like I was run over by a bus," She mumbled. She looked up at him, and her tired gaze flickered with concern.

"Oh, Doctor, you're bleeding!"

The Doctor smiled slightly. "Don't worry about it. I'm sorry if I scared you back there, I know you were confused."

Clara buried her face into the Doctor's fuzzy vest, and let all the tears she had been holding back flow. The Time Lord sat down in the console chair, Clara in his lap, and comforted her as best he could. No more, he vowed. No more would he allow this to happen to his Impossible Girl.


	7. Chapter 7

**_A/N: This really has nothing to do with the story. Just a little thing I thought up. Enjoy!_**

_Gallifrey, several months before the start of the end…_

The Time Lord Senate was in full swing. The Daleks had become increasingly active over the past few months, and this had raised concern amongst the Senate. A heated debate was currently in progress.

"The Daleks are the most dangerous creatures in the universe!" A Time Lord shouted. "We should hunt them down at the source! Cut off the head, and the body dies! I say we find Davros, and destroy him!"

"Hah! Davros, indeed!" Argued another Time Lady. "You know full well that once the Daleks no longer needed his guidance, they kept him as a pet! Him and that nutter from the Cult of Skaro, Caan!"

"The Dalek Emperor, then!" Another voice shouted. "I'll wager he's out there, plotting against us! If he managed to get past our sky trenches, we would all perish at the jaws of the Nightmare Child! We should—"

"That—is—enough!" A calm, yet stern voice called. Instantly, silence fell upon the Senators. A graying Time Lady stood up, her piercing eyes scanning the faces surrounding her. "You're all acting like a bunch of children! The Daleks are always plotting, scheming, looking for ways to destroy everything around them. Conflict will come, as it always does, but we will defeat them, as we always have."

"The Senator is right," The Chancellor said, speaking up from his box. "We are getting nowhere. Let us all think very carefully about this situation, before we convene again."

Muttering, still unsatisfied, the Senate meeting adjourned.

The Chancellor found the Senator who had spoken up, amidst the various Time Lords and Ladies who milled about in the hallways.

"That was very good, Senator," He told her. "Sometimes, I think you are the only sane person in the entire Senate."

The Woman smiled slightly. "Nonsense, Chancellor Rassilon. They're only worried, and therefore not thinking straight. I'm hardly the most senior member of the group, you should be looking to your advisors for advice. That's what they're there for, no?"

Rassilon chuckled, bowing slightly to her. "Have a good day, Senator. And yes, you're right, I suppose I should be asking my advisors."

The Woman bowed, before going over to a fellow Time Lady. She was dressed in white instead of the usual crimson garb of the Time Lords, and her straight hair was blonde.

"What did he want?" She asked. The Woman smiled.

"Oh, just telling me that the rest of the Senate is crazy. You know how he is, Romana."

"Do you think he fancies you?" The Time Lady asked. "I think he does."

"Nonsense. You young people these days, always trying to pair people up." The Woman muttered. Romana laughed.

"Have you heard from the Doctor?" She asked. The Woman shook her head.

"Is that what he's calling himself, now? To me, he'll always be my Theta. Sometimes I wish the simple times could return, when the only thing I had to worry about was how muddy Theta got when he would play by the Lethe. Him, and that little mischief-maker Koschei. I think Koschei thought of me as a mother, as he never had one of his own."

Romana smiled. "The Theta I knew was all teeth and curls, it seemed. He wore this ridiculous scarf, and had just about everything in his pockets."

The Woman laughed. The two chatted about long-gone times, as the twin suns of Gallifrey shone down outside. Little did they know, those same suns would be obscured by millions of screeching metal monsters.

_FIN_


End file.
